010.

                                    

                                          
	Birdie can't believe she's slept through Edmund's return.
	When Peter explained his intentions to her last night, she could only stare at him with her eyes wide and lips parted, no sound escaping her. It took her some time to actually comprehend what he meant and, as soon as she finally did, Birdie couldn't really believe him. Sure, she knew that Peter feels responsible, that he wishes to keep them safe and see them back home in one piece... But she didn't know he would be foolish enough to come up with a plan like this and honestly believe they would just listen.
	Which, as she can vividly recall, she didn't hesitate to tell him to, using some rather inelegant words that would most likely cause Mrs. Macready to suffer a stroke if she were to hear them spoken aloud. Anger was quick to fill her veins, accompanied by some strange feeling she later determined to be a sense of betrayal (though she still can't figure out what the betrayal might actually be). And the fact that Peter refused to acknowledge his own stupidity - because there's no other word to describe it - only fuelled her more, up to a point when she couldn't even look at the boy without venomous words slipping from her tongue. She had no other choice but to storm off into her tent, silencing the sounds of her angry footsteps once she realised she couldn't wake Susan and Lucy up.
	Now, as they are all seated outside for breakfast, she still feels sparks of anger arise each time she steals a glance at Peter. He's not looking at her, though - which could be natural, considering how busy he must be having just got his brother back, if only it wasn't for the fact that the boy seems very much set on avoiding her gaze at all costs. 
	"Narnia's not going to run out of toast, Ed."
	Birdie can feel her gaze soften as her eyes shift towards Lucy. The youngest Pevensie sibling is sitting with Edmund next to her, having refused to leave his side since he appeared in the camp earlier this morning. It was obvious she was willing to take the role of his protector against Peter's eventual scolding (which, surprisingly, didn't happen), even though she's the one who has every right to be resentful.
	And let it be known that the dark haired boy must have missed his siblings very much, because he didn't even say anything about it. He didn't sneer or tease, he just smiled at the younger girl when she wasn't looking, so much love and longing in his gaze it made Birdie much more sympathetic towards him.
	"I'm sure they'll pack something up for the journey back."
	Birdie doesn't have to rise her eyes from her jam covered toast to know that Peter's words get him all of his siblings' attention. 
	"We're going home?" asks Susan.
	"You are." Peter approaches the table. He sits down next to Birdie, which makes it hard to avoid any contact with him. Especially since his knee brushes against her own. "I promised mum I'd keep you three safe. I promised I'd keep all of you safe. But it doesn't mean I can't stay behind and help."
	For a moment, everyone is quiet. Just like Birdie last night, Peter's siblings need a while to truly understand him.
	"But they need us," protests Lucy. Birdie can hear disbelief in her voice as the younger girl's gaze shifts over all of them. "All five of us."
	Birdie's first thought is to remind Lucy that it's not true - after all, the prophecy only mentions four. But she doesn't say a word about that, because, in the end, she still feels a little sad about not being included. So, instead, she decides it's high time to turn directly to Peter. "I told you they wouldn't like this," she says, her tone somewhat patronising.
	"It was you who made me give you my word that would get us back safely. I don't see why you suddenly seem to have a problem with me fulfilling that promise," answers the boy before looking back to his sister. "Lucy, it's too dangerous. You almost drowned! Edmund was almost killed!"